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(image) The Incense Route was a series of important ancient trade routes linking Egypt to India by way of Arabia. The incense trade flourished between the 3rd century BCE and the 2nd century CE, during which time these routes played a vital role in the transport of frankincense and myrrh from Arabia; spices, ebony, and textiles from India; and wood, feathers, hides, and gold from East Africa. Spectacular evidence of the ancient trade can be seen in 16th-century BCE Egyptian frescos that depict what? Discuss

(image) Calligraphy, a term derived from the Greek word for "beautiful writing," is a form of artistic writing practiced by cultures throughout the world for millennia. Calligraphic works can range from functional, hand-lettered inscriptions to abstract fine art pieces. Regarded in China and Japan as the greatest of the visual arts, calligraphy also figures prominently in Islamic art, which forbids the depiction of human and animal forms. What kind of glyphs are found carved into structures in Mexico?

(image) The historical referents of the term "assassin," the Hashshashin were a secret society of Ismaili Shia Muslims who specialized in politically motivated killings of Crusaders and Muslim rulers. Much of the lore surrounding the feared sect, which originated in Persia and was active from 1090 to 1272, stems from Marco Polo's likely fictional account of his visit to the city of Alamut in 1273. What drug is believed to be the root of the term "Hashshashin," and what was its connection to the sect?